Rifle stock mounting rail system

ABSTRACT

Rifle stock mounting rail systems have an elongated rail having opposed forward and rear ends, the elongated rail having an accessory mounting facility defining a plurality of mounting locations, the elongated rail defining a forward mounting aperture proximate to the forward end, the elongated rail defining a rear mounting aperture proximate to the rear end, the forward mounting aperture being configured to receive a first fastener in a stock aperture associated with a sling stud, the rear mounting aperture being configured to receive a second fastener in a stock aperture associated with a trigger guard, and the forward and rear mounting apertures being spaced apart by a distance based on a spacing between a sling stud and the second fastener. The accessory mounting facility may be an elongated channel. The accessory mounting facility may have a multitude or an unlimited number of mounting locations.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/800,360 filed on Feb. 25, 2020, entitled “RIFLE STOCK MOUNTING RAILSYSTEM,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/811,778 filed on Feb. 28, 2019, entitled “A.I.M. (ACCURACYIMPROVEMENT MODIFICATION) PRECISION KIT,” which are hereby incorporatedby reference in their entirety for all that is taught and disclosedtherein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to arifle stock mounting rail system that enables handstops, palm blocks, orbipods to be added to a rifle stock.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently available rifles for target shooting are generally eitherinexpensive with limited functionality, or are extremely expensive withnumerous customization options. There are few accessories available atrelatively low cost to add functionality to an inexpensive rifle stockfor target shooting to optimize the user's performance. Thoseaccessories that exist require significant modifications to the originalfirearm, such as cutting and drilling holes in the existing stock orbuying a replacement stock.

Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved rifle stock mountingrail system that enables handstops, palm blocks, or bipods to be addedto a rifle stock without requiring modifications to the rifle stock,thereby increasing the adjustability and fit of the stock to the userand enhancing performance. In this regard, the various embodiments ofthe present invention substantially fulfill at least some of theseneeds. In this respect, the rifle stock mounting rail system accordingto the present invention substantially departs from the conventionalconcepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides anapparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing rifle stockmounting rail system that enables handstops, palm blocks, or bipods tobe added to a rifle stock without requiring modifications to the riflestock.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved rifle stock mounting railsystem, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks ofthe prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention,which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide animproved rifle stock mounting rail system that has all the advantages ofthe prior art mentioned above.

To attain this, the preferred embodiment of the present inventionessentially comprises an elongated rail molded to conform to theunderside of the existing stock having opposed forward and rear ends,the elongated rail having an accessory mounting facility defining aplurality of mounting locations, the elongated rail defining a forwardmounting aperture proximate to the forward end, the elongated raildefining a rear mounting aperture proximate to the rear end, the forwardmounting aperture being configured to receive a first fastener in astock aperture associated with a sling stud, the rear mounting aperturebeing configured to receive a second fastener in a stock apertureadjacent to a trigger guard, and the forward and rear mounting aperturesbeing spaced apart by a distance based on a spacing between a sling studand the second fastener. The accessory mounting facility may be anelongated channel. The accessory mounting facility may have a multitudeof mounting locations. The accessory mounting facility may have anunlimited number of mounting locations. There are, of course, additionalfeatures of the invention that will be described hereinafter and whichwill form the subject matter of the claims attached.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the invention in order that the detailed description thereofthat follows may be better understood and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom isometric exploded view of a rifle suitable for usewith the current embodiment of a rifle stock mounting rail system.

FIG. 2 is a bottom isometric exploded view of the rifle of FIG. 1 withthe current embodiment of a rifle stock mounting rail system constructedin accordance with the principles of the present invention attached tothe forend.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the rifle of FIG. 1 with the currentembodiment of a rifle stock mounting rail system constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention attached to theforend.

FIG. 4 is a bottom isometric exploded view of the rifle of FIG. 1 withthe current embodiment of a cheek riser assembly constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention attached to thebuttstock.

FIG. 5 is a bottom isometric view of the rifle of FIG. 1 with thecurrent embodiment of a cheek riser assembly constructed in accordancewith the principles of the present invention attached to the buttstock.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the rifle of FIG. 1 with the currentembodiment of a cheek riser assembly constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention attached to the buttstock.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the current embodiment of the mount of thecheek riser assembly removed from the buttstock of the rifle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of an alternative embodiment of therifle with the current embodiment of a rifle stock mounting rail systemconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present inventionattached to the forend.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout thevarious figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the rifle stock mounting rail system of the presentinvention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art rifle 100. More particularly, the rifleis a Base Savage MK II FVT rifle manufactured by Savage Arms ofWestfield, Mass. The rifle has a stock body 102 including a forend 104and a butt stock 106. A barrel 108 is attached to the forend. A bolthandle 110 protrudes from the stock body in front of the butt stock. Theforend has a lower surface 112 that defines a forward sling studaperture 114 that threadedly receives a forward sling stud 130. Thefixed position of the sling stud on the forend limits the ability of theuser to adjust their hand position while still maintaining the necessarysling tension, thereby decreasing accuracy. The lower surface of theforend also defines a magazine well 116 that receives a detachable5-round box magazine (not shown). A trigger guard 118 is attached to thelower surface of the forend and is an integrally molded part of theforend in the current embodiment. A second fastener 120 is threadedlyreceived in an aperture 122 defined by the lower surface of the forendthat is associated with the trigger guard. The second fastenerconventionally serves as the rear screw of the magazine floor plate ormagazine box. A trigger 124 protrudes from the lower surface of theforend and is encircled by the trigger guard.

The butt stock 106 has a lower surface 126 that defines a rear slingstud aperture 132 (shown in FIG. 3) that threadedly receives a rearsling stud 128. The butt stock also has an upper comb surface 134. Theupper comb surface is a steep low comb that results in a poor cheek weldand sight alignment for the user.

FIGS. 2 & 3 illustrate the improved rifle stock mounting rail system 10of the present invention.

More particularly, the rifle stock mounting rail system has an elongatedrail 12 including a forward end 14, an opposed rear end 16, uppersurface 18, and bottom 20. The bottom of the elongated rail defines anelongated channel 22 that extends from the forward end to the rear end.The elongated rail is molded to conform to the underside of the existingbutt stock 106. The elongated rail defines a magazine passage 24 that isaxially registered with the magazine well 116 on the lower surface 112of the forend 104. The magazine passage enables the detachable 5-roundbox magazine (not shown) to pass through the magazine passage and bereceived in the magazine well on a broader range of rifles than just theBase Savage MK II FVT rifle illustrated, thereby increasing theversatility of the elongated rail. The forward end of the elongated railis attached to the forend by a first fastener 26 received in a forwardmounting aperture 28 defined by the elongated rail proximate to theforward end and threadedly received in the forward sling stud aperture114. The rear end of the elongated rail is attached to the forend by thesecond fastener 120 received in a rear mounting aperture 30 proximate tothe rear end and threadedly received in the aperture 122 (shown in FIG.3).

The elongated channel 22 serves as an accessory mounting facility thathas at least a plurality of mounting locations, can define a multitudeof mounting locations, and preferably defines an unlimited number ofmounting locations. Any suitable accessory, such as handstops, palmblocks, or bipods (not shown), can be attached to the elongated rail 12using the elongated channel in any desired location along the elongatedrail provided the magazine passage 24 is not obstructed by theaccessory. The forward sling stud aperture 114 and rear sling studaperture 132 are both stock apertures associated with a sling stud. Theaperture 122 is a stock aperture associated with the second fastener120. The forward and rear mounting apertures 28, 30 are spaced apart bya distance 32 based on a selected spacing 136 (shown in FIG. 1) betweenthe forward sling stud 130 and the second fastener or the aperture 122.In the current embodiment, the rear mounting aperture is forward of thetrigger guard 118. The upper surface 18 of the elongated rail iscontoured to closely abut the lower surface 112 of the forend 104, andin the current embodiment is molded to conform to the underside of theexisting stock. The elongated rail is a straight body in the currentembodiment.

FIGS. 4-7 illustrate an improved cheek riser assembly 200 of the presentinvention. More particularly, the cheek riser assembly 200 has a mount202 and a cheek piece 204. The mount has a top 206 and a bottom 208 thatare connected by a clamshell hinge molded into the portion 210. The topdefines vertical apertures 212, and the bottom defines verticalapertures 214. The vertical apertures 212, 214 are axially registeredwith one another when the butt stock 106 is received by the mount suchthat mount fasteners 216 received by vertical apertures 212, 214 createa clamping action to tightly secure the mount to the butt stock. The topof the mount also has a flat portion 234 that defines horizontalapertures 218.

The cheek piece 204 has an upper portion 220 that is contoured create aseamless fit over the top 206 of the mount 202 and the upper combsurface 134 of the butt stock 106. The cheek piece has a lower portion222 that closely abuts the flat portion 234 of the top of the mount. Thelower portion defines two height adjustment slots 224 that are alignedwith the horizontal apertures 218 in the top of the mount. Two Allenhead set screws 226 are received by the height adjustment slots andthreadedly received by the horizontal apertures to releasably secure thecheek piece at a selected height relative to the upper comb surface.Thus, the height of the cheek piece can be adjusted to enable the userto change their head position relative to the sights (not shown) on therifle 100.

The mount has a lower portion 228 that closely abuts the lower surface126 of the butt stock 106. The lower portion of the mount defines anaperture 230 that is axially registered with the rear sling studaperture 132 in the lower surface of the butt stock. The rear sling studis threadedly received by the rear sling stud aperture. The aperture 230is a smooth hole molded in the lower portion of the mount that slipsover the rear sling stud 128 to prevent the mount from sliding forwardor rearward on the butt stock. The mount has an upper portion thatclosely abuts the upper comb surface 134 of the butt stock. Theclamshell hinge portion 210 also closely abuts the butt stock. Thus, themount is a tapered sleeve that closely receives the tapered butt stock.

FIG. 8 illustrates the improved rifle stock mounting rail system 10 ofthe present invention. More particularly, the rifle stock mounting railsystem is shown installed on an alternative embodiment of a rifle 300.The rifle includes a stock aperture 302 associated with a lower plate304 and proximate to a trigger 306. The rear mounting aperture 30 in therear end 16 of the elongated rail 12 is configured to receive a secondfastener 308 that is threadedly received in the stock aperture. Itshould be appreciated that the hole locations for mounting fasteners andthe locations of any existing screws in the rifle are specific to aparticular rifle. To enable the elongated rail to be compatible with anindividual rifle, additional holes can be made in the rifle to match themounting holes in the elongated rail, or mounting holes can be made indifferent locations in the elongated rail to match the mounting holes inthe rifle. Furthermore, clearance holes to accommodate any existingscrews in the rifle can be added to the elongated rail in the necessarylocations.

While a current embodiment of a rifle stock mounting rail system and acheek riser assembly have been described in detail, it should beapparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all ofwhich fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Forexample, the rifle stock mounting rail system and the cheek riserassembly are suitable for use with a variety of rifles in addition tothe Base Savage MK II FVT described. Furthermore, both the rifle stockmounting rail system and the cheek riser assembly can be used alone orin combination with each other. With respect to the above descriptionthen, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationshipsfor the parts of the invention, to include variations in size,materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly anduse, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art,and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawingsand described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by thepresent invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention.

Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur tothose skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact construction and operation shown and described, andaccordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the invention.

We claim:
 1. A rifle stock mounting rail system comprising: a riflestock, said rifle stock having a sling stud in a sling stud aperture andan attached plate having a plate aperture, the rifle stock defining amagazine passage, the rifle stock mounting rail further comprising anelongated rail having opposed forward and rear ends; the elongated railhaving an accessory mounting facility defining a plurality of mountinglocations; the elongated rail defining a forward mounting apertureproximate to the forward end; the elongated rail defining a rearmounting aperture proximate to the rear end; the elongated rail defininga magazine aperture registered with the magazine passage; a firstfastener received in the forward mounting aperture configured to replacethe sling stud in the sling stud aperture of the stock; a secondfastener received in the rear mounting aperture and the plate aperturein registration with the rear mounting aperture; and the forward andrear mounting apertures being spaced apart by a distance based on aspacing between a sling stud aperture and the plate aperture.